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The skincare industry loves to remind us that they're using it, but what exactly IS shea butter? And why is it so great?

A Side of Salsa is one bar of soap we love to make. It only happens once a year, and when it does - well we feel the need to party! This soap is made with saponified oils of coconut, castor and olive, as well as beef tallow and shea butter to make a richer, harder, longer-lasting bar. We add Tussah silk to give it a beautifully nice soft feel to it. And if it isn't obvious by now, the colors of this soap - green, red, yellow - are the colors of your favorite, Mexican snack. Our little Side of...

You're stranded on a deserted island and there's very little to eat. What is the first thing you grab to make a meal (besides, hopefully, your friends)? Coconuts.  A Thai-food favorite, a somewhat misnamed fruit, the object of a Tom Hanks love-hate relationship - the coconut (and its oil) has been utilized in the beauty industry, food, textiles and more for a very long time. (The picture at right was taken in 1938 in Key West, Florida. Photo courtesy Library of Congress) The coconut tree, or cocos nucifera, has been called the "Tree of Life" because you can use just about every part of it. Versatility...

I remember the first time I tasted yerba mate. A good friend of mine is originally from Argentina and had invited my family over to her house for dinner. Afterwards, as the kids played noisily, she pulled out a teapot and a cup that appeared to be made out of a gourd or something. She also came out with a straw that looked like it was made of bamboo and had tiny holes drilled into it. She called it a "bombilla" and said it was the traditional way to drink a tea called yerba mate. Apparently yerba mate (or just 'mate')...

What were you doing when you were a young teen? I don't know about you, but starting my own business was the furthest thing from my mind. Teens have so much to learn and juggle that it seems entrepreneurship couldn't be possible. And yet ... Meet Zyon Scott, creator and CEO of Fit for a Princesss - a luxury teen cosmetics company that specializes in tinted lip glosses in the cutest shades! (Seriously y'all, I would have been all over this as a teen. Probably would have been her number one customer.) I had a chance to do a little...